Who is Muhammed Sinwar, the top Hamas commander killed by Israel?

Muhammed Sinwar, brother of Yahya Sinwar, was a Hamas commander from Khan Younis. A key figure in Hamas' military wing, he helped plan the 2006 Schalit raid and rose to high ranks before his death

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that Muhammed Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and of its armed wing, was killed in a recent Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Netanyahu did not provide further details. Hamas has still not confirmed Sinwar’s death.

 

Muhammed Sinwar is believed to have died in a precision drone strike on May 13. The Israeli military targeted an underground Hamas command centre beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis, Sinwar’s hometown in southern Gaza Strip. At least six people were killed in the strike and 40 wounded, Gaza’s Health Ministry said at the time.

 

 

Here is what we know about Muhammed Sinwar:

 

Brother of Yahya Sinwar

 

Sinwar is the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader who helped mastermind the October 7, 2023, attack that started the Israel-Hamas war. Muhammed rose through Hamas ranks to become a senior commander in the Qassam Brigades, the group’s armed wing. He was one of the last known top Hamas leaders still operating in Gaza.

 

Veteran fighter from Khan Younis

 

Born in 1975 in Khan Younis refugee camp, Sinwar came from a family displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. Like his elder brother, Yahya, the younger Sinwar joined Hamas after it was founded in the late 1980s as the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. He became a member of the Qassam Brigades and became close to its commander, Muhammed Deif, who was killed last year.   

 

Sinwar helped plan the 2006 cross-border raid in which Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit was captured and later exchanged for over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including his brother Yahya.

 

A key player in Hamas strategy

 

Israeli officials have long considered Muhammed Sinwar a major strategic planner. He reportedly had advance knowledge of the October 7 attack. His role made him a frequent target of Israeli strikes, and he was previously thought to have been killed in 2014.

 

Netanyahu mentioned the killing of Sinwar in a speech before the Parliament in which he listed the names of other Hamas leaders killed during the war. We have killed ten of thousands of terrorists. We killed (Muhammed) Deif, (Ismail) Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar and Muhammed Sinwar, he said.

   

Israel vows to continue war

 

As the head of Hamas’ armed wing, Sinwar had a central role in decision-making about hostages. His death could complicate ongoing efforts by the United States and Arab mediators to reach a ceasefire. Hamas still holds many hostages and controls parts of Gaza not occupied by Israeli forces. Israel has promised to fight until all hostages are freed and Hamas is dismantled. The war, now in its 19th month, has seen much of Hamas’ leadership killed, though the group remains active in areas of Gaza.

 

(With inputs from agencies)